Just started the JUDDD program 2 days ago and have read all I can on the plan...have had a DD and an UD so far...both went awesomely and I feel great!! My DD today is going well since I am not hungry yet and it's 11:20 here. I just wanted to ask about the plan...I have read many posts where people talk about the JUDDD magic...what is this?? Just curious...and what is the importance of the calorie spread from DD to UD? What should it be ideally? Thanks everyone!!

The first part is only 'dieting' every other day. It is the UD bounces and the DD dips that, week after week, trend down-down-down. It is going on vacation, eating what I want for a week, and gaining a few pounds - far fewer than I would have gained if I had never JUDDDed. And having those few pounds vanish after one or two DDs. It is not having arthritis pain. It is learning about what my, personal, body needs to eat in order to feel very, very good. It is feeling in control of my own eating and the results.

The second part of the magic is the sirtuin proteins/enzymes (science still seems to be figuring them out) that make part one happen. Those little sirt thingies are very natural, very non-intrusive, and do their job oh so well.

The calorie spread between DD and UD - and the average of the two - are good ways to make sure you are eating on track. I don't use them - I just use the calories from the website and what I have learned during this journey (these days, most of my DDs need to be under 400 calories, and my most of my UDs need to be at or over my RMR).

Someone will be along to explain it spread and average. They are both very helpful for many people.

Thanks Nancy for the explanation...I love the fact that I don't have to diet everyday Figuring it all out as to what days are going to be UDs and DDs is harder...do you guys usually have set days and if something happens you always follow a bigger cal day w a UD? I guess it depends on the cals...I'm assuming a MD is a middle of the road day with cals in between the two days...Sorry...I'm just trying to figure this all out Never do 2 DDs in a row...I do get that part

Yep, MD is a Medium or Middle Day used to transition from one DD/UD pattern to another. You calculate MD calories this way: DD cals + UD cals / 2.

A few of us do an MD every week in order to ensure their DDs always fall on specific days of the week. Some of us find MDs really stall or even cause a bounce (raises hand). Many pounds ago I decided if I need to change my rotation, I will just eat two not-over-the-top UDs in a row...after experimenting, I realized I lose best if I keep my rotations clean.

You are strongly encouraged to not use MDs for the first 2 to 4 weeks of JUDDD - give those sirts time to build up before you start fiddling.

You will also see us talk about UUAD or UUAA or UUAAD. Those are up-up-and-away days. That is not official JUDDDese. We made that acronym up ourselves. Those are (as you suspect) days that spin out of control. Not advisable. Gives one a feeling of failing. Not good. JUDDD BUDDDs tend to be happy losers. (low cal/IF releases dopamine in the brain - which is happy making)

I think it is good to plan a FD (Full or Free Day) if you have a special event. As in "Tomorrow is my birthday. My family has big plans. I am having a FD and take the hit." It is amazing how deciding, for a reason, to go off plan leaves you feeling in control and NOT a failure.

Of course, too many FDs or UUADs do not a happy weight loss make.

And, finally, many of us find we get weak, shaky, miserable if we try to do two DDs in a row. But there are a few of us who handle multiples with no problem. To the best of my knowledge, this does not speed up weight loss rate. Most of us need that UD to interrupt the work DD started.

Very counter-intuitive, isn't it? But, for most people who try it, it works very well and many of us find it feels very good.

That does make sense Nancy!!! Thanks so much...I am still trying to understand it all, the book explains some but not all the fine points...how long does it take until the body figures out everything??

I already read the travel and JUDDD thread a page or so back...I get to go away on a holiday in two weeks and will be away for a week, so I want to be into this before I go I so want to be in control...

It depends on each individual's metabolism. Some people seem to get their sirtuin tank filled almost immediately. The longest time I have heard of was Sunday, who took about 8 weeks. Three or four weeks is the average.

Two weeks is not a long time. BUT, do not despair. The sirtuin thingies are already accumulating in you today. Stick to your rotations. Your sirt bank is filling already. You probably will start losing weight this week. When you go on vacation, you will have a good head start...and that will help you.

Many of us 'feel' it when the magic kicks in. I lost about a pound a week when I started. And DDs were unpleasant but not very hard. Then, on DD Wednesday of week four, I realized I had no hunger, I just had tons of energy and felt really good. Weight loss doubled (to 2 pounds/week - not bad for sedentary and post-menopausal). My sixth week I spent five days on a coastal island with foodie friends. Gained six pounds. Which vanished after two DDs when I got back.

Actually, about every two months I have done something long and food-related. Each time, by the end of the next week I was at a new low.

I'm so happy you took the time to answer my questions... You are doing so well and are inspirational !!

One more question...I am eating 500 or less cals on the DDs, if I exercise is that just icing on the cake or do I eat more cals to bring the total up to 500 ?? I would think that exercising is just something I should do and I should leave the cals alone, right?

And like you said before, if you weren't JUDDDing before vacations, you would have gained wayyyyyy more weight I want to be into a rotation that works BEFORE I go on my holiday

Hey Sloppail. I started JUDDD about a month ago. I am just starting to notice what I believe is the SIRT thingy. I was skeptical at first and thought it was really just about the calories. I have lost about seven pounds which is great for me having a thyroid problem and and also finishing menopause. I am not a purist with the rotations but I do manage at least three DD's a week. If I blow one, I'll just do it the next day. I had to plan mine on Tues, Thurs, & Sun with Saturday being a sort of MID because I run a land and sea tour operation and it was just too hard not to partake with my customers (I prepare big meals & make them margaritas...etc.) This IS working is all I have to say! I also faithfully take a pterostilbene supplement in addtion to the resveratol recommended by Dr. J. and think it helps with appetite. I do not exercise on DD's except for toning exercises as it stimulates my appetite. Good luck! We can do this!!!

Exercise seems to another of those "it depends on each individual's metabolism" things.

In the book Dr J says you can eat back the calories you expended (or pre-eat some of them for energy during exercise). But, at the time he wrote the book, I suspect Dr J did not realize just how much exercise some overweight people do.

The rule of thumb a lot of us report as working is, on the website find your calories by selecting an exercise level one level lighter than you actually do. If you tend to do lighter levels of exercise, just follow what the website says. If you are really into exercising, you may have to eat some of the calories back or your body will shoot straight through sirtuin generation into "I'm in serious trouble here" mode.

This is one of those places where each person needs to do some experimenting to find out what works best for them. I am sure some of our dedicated exercisers will share what they have found. Also, I encourage you to search old threads for the word 'exercise'. This has been discussed several times.

Ultimately, because sirtuin generation is triggered by caloric restriction, I suspect you don't want to eat back 100% of what you burn. But you may need to eat a portion back.

JUDDD is so flexible. If you are open to it, JUDDD really does lead to a lot of self-learning and personal responsibility.

Thanks for the information Nancy and Angie I am going to try to stick to a rotation of UD DD UD etc and try not to blow it ...if I partake in too many cals I will make my next day a DD, since it is all about the calorie spread, I think I am really doing well so far, even though it has only been 4 days I saw a new low on my scale this morning after my DD yesterday ..............YES! I did wake up in the night last night just buzzin' at 1:30 and didn't get back to sleep till about 3:30, but I felt ok this morning. I'm not really going to worry about exercising too much unless I want to on UDs...

WOW! Thanks for the info everyone! I am nearly at the end of week 4 with so-so results. The scale has bounced alot and I have had a few UUAD's recently. I am aiming for a really good DD today to get it rolling again. Or... maybe this sirt gene will kick in. have ordered the book but still haven't received it yet (im in Australia). I learn so much here though